UMass Medical School contract with moonlighting state worker in question

Patrick administration refers matter to State Ethics Commission

A Team 5 investigation has uncovered some questionable spending that has the Patrick administration taking action.

NewsCenter 5’s Sean Kelly reported Thursday on an unusual arrangement at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) that allowed a highly paid chairman to use public money to promote himself and his department.

If you don’t recognize Dr. Douglas Zeidonis from one of UMMS’s videos or brochures, it’s not because he didn’t try. As chairman of the medical school’s psychiatry department, he has made himself the face of the department.

Team 5 Investigates found he paid longtime friend Anna Chinappi, who was moonlighting from her state job at the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, $23,000 to produce a high-gloss brochure showcasing his leadership and his department’s accomplishments.

"The fact that Dr. Zeidonis is outsourcing that to individuals outside of the institution raises some questions," said Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute, a conservative think tank.

Zeidonis didn’t ask the school’s million-dollar marketing and public relations department for help and he didn’t put the project out to bid to get the best price, like cities, towns and other state agencies are required to do.

"If they’re not bidding out their contracts appropriately, that’s a huge problem," said Stergios.

Ed Keohane, a spokesman for the school, told Team 5 it isn’t a problem because under UMMS policy, contracts under $50,000 don’t need to go out to bid.

Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, told Team 5 Investigates that he’s concerned there was no bidding process. "That’s the transparency issue in this. He could have spent it in the school in which other department figures could have overseen how the money was spent," said Craney.

Dr. Zeidonis declined Team 5’s request for an interview. So did his boss, Chancellor Michael Collins.

A spokesman for both told Team 5 Investigates they "are aware that our psychiatry department has occasionally utilized outside consultants and developed business tools, including a brochure and a video."

Keohane said that they are confident the department acted appropriately in hiring these outside experts.

Even though Chinappi told her boss and officials at the State Ethics Commission about her contract, an official with the Executive Office of Health & Human Services told Team 5 if the higher-ups knew about it, it would not have been approved.

"The whole story points to a greater cultural issue potentially around bidding, around self-promotion, around the use of outside sources that may not be necessary," said Stergios.

Chinappi also declined Team 5’s requests for comment, but told her bosses none of the work was done on state time.

A spokesman for the Executive Office of Health & Human Services said they have referred this matter to the Ethics Commission for additional guidance and action if necessary.

David Gianotti, communications director for the commission, declined to comment, citing the commission’s policy not to comment on matters that have been referred to it.

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